Legendary former Inter defender Marco Materazzi believes that the attacking style of football can benefit them greatly in the Champions League.

Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published in today’s print edition, Materazzi underlined the importance of having a fast-paced and attack-minded approach in Europe’s top competition.

This season the Nerazzurri have shifted somewhat in their approach, playing a style of football which is oriented more towards controlling possession and laying on goalscoring chances than towards defensive solidity at all costs.

Simone Inzaghi looks to have left his imprint on the team more and more with each passing match, and Materazzi believes that this approach given by the former Lazio boss will be the right one to get results in Europe’s top competition.

He is of the view that the team has shown the quality to make it to the round of sixteen, and that the thing they must aim for now is consistency.

“It’s very simple,” Materazzi stated, “the players must continue to do what we saw on the pitch during the last match against Napoli. And then the result will follow naturally, there will be no problems, I’m sure.”

He went on that “I really like this Inter. They are a team devoted to attacking, they have shown this several times. And it is an attitude that is usually rewarded in European competition, even if you face strong, organized teams with experience in these types of matches.”

“I’ve always thought that the Champions League is actually the sum of two different tournaments,” he went on, “one before Christmas, one from February onwards.”

“To qualify already with a win against Shakhtar would allow them to focus exclusively on the league for three months, a competition in which I still see Inter as the favourite and the team to beat.”